'Laser attack' caught on tape: View from plane cockpit

[Robin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI7Qq1mYQlI

[allthatwhichis]

I hate to say it but that didn't look "that bad" compared to what I "think" what they call "flash blindess" would look like, but it may have been a poor example of the way lasers "splash" across the cockpit window. Maybe it was the camera using "night vision" added to the fact that was did not seem to that powerful of a laser. I feel wierd saying "I'd like" to see more videos for comparison as I would prefer that no lasers are shined at planes, but I would like a bit more context for the discussion currently going on about this issue. Not sure that came out right... It is still a dumbass shining a laser at an aircraft. "Laser attack" also seems to be an exageration from my perspective but I am not a pilot and am speaking from ignorance.

[Lasermad]

is it me or does then last 15 seconds look fake ....ie ..simulator

[mccarrot]

The last part of this video looks like they are shining with a laserpointer inside a flight simulator.

[swamidog]

one giveaway is how the beam is coming from *behind* the pilots and splashing on the windscreen.

is it me or does then last 15 seconds look fake ....ie ..simulator

[dilbert]

So fake, the beam is internal at the end from the reflections!

[dsli_jon]

one giveaway is..

Yep, and totally agree, Paul - from 0:49 is clearly from a sim or training-exercise...look at the 'sky'! Additionally, a beam from that distance, even from a really-tight module or über-pointer, would be more like 2-3' wide, never nearly as-collimated as-seen in that last-part... at-least not without someone using tailored-optics to *try* and focus at the 7-10K'-distance... Not likely...

It's misleading / misinforming, cause it will lead people to think of a 'beam in the eye' / burns being the danger...it would have to be the 'luckiest shot in history' + one hella-laser to actually cause *blindness* or even real damage, in the eye of a pilot, 10K' out, moving, thru the steeply-angled, thick-glass, and at such an obtuse angle...

In-reality, it is more 'glare-distraction' / temp. flash-blindness, since a pilots-eyes are well-dialated, in the low-light cockpit environment, and that, causing distraction during the critical last-moments of final approach / landing, is the only 'real'-worry... But it is *still* a menace, that needs to stop.

Ugh, the media... the 'perception of reality' is eventually gonna precipitate the collapse / implosion of everything...

j

[beamann]

Yea,
Me being a rotor pilot would have to agree with all of you, That is definetly faked!! that looked nothing like what I have Exsperenced. The first part of the clip started too, but faded quickly.

[Stuka]

The first part (viewing out the left side of the aircraft) looks like authentic footage to me.

The last part is definitely taken inside a cockpit sim -
sort of looks like a news crew may have been filming inside the sim as part of their coverage of the actual laser incident - but without the audio, it's hard to tell.

Having been on the receiving end of lasers in the cockpit a time or two (along with flares, spotlights, and a few other "fun" flash sources), I can vouch that it's not so much a true, lasting "flash blindness" that is generally the problem, but the sudden, unexpected, albeit temporary, distraction, which could cause a lot of problems during critical flight modes (as Jon alluded to earlier). Commercial & military pilots are trained to deal with just about anything the aircraft itself can dish out in the cockpit (warning lights, buzzers, malfunctions, etc.), but a flash of laser light - or other intense light source - from outside the aircraft is something most pilots don't experience until it happens for real...

I hope the SOB's that lased the aircraft got their asses handed to them...

[Internatlaser]

Pretty obvious the whole thing was "staged " by some desperado news hounds on a slow news day
1) the camera knew exactly where to " look" for the ground source ....zzzzt..crackle zzzzt.. are you rolling...pressing laser button NOW
2) the cockpit segment ..a 5 year old could put together a more believable segment

Whoops... cut to real news worthy stuff ..Some nutcase in Norway just lost the plot...

The world we live in unfortunately..pointers @ planes not good
quote
"it would have to be the 'luckiest shot in history' + one hella-laser to actually cause *blindness* or even real damage, in the eye of a pilot, 10K' out, moving, thru the steeply-angled, thick-glass, and at such an obtuse angle"

Exactly

...I hope the SOB's that lased the aircraft got their asses handed to them.

Reality.....Nothing Happenned